LAS VEGAS — Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates last night poked fun at his legal situation, but predicted an ever-expanding computer world for the high-tech giant and its competitors.

“It’s great to know that all over America, there are entrepreneurs working in their garages. Also, there are lawyers working in their 20th-floor offices,” Gates said, drawing laughs from the 6,000 people attending the annual Comdex computer show.

In his first major speech since a judge declared Microsoft a monopoly on Nov. 5, Gates unveiled a series of new initiatives.

But he mostly touted the future of personal computers, saying his research shows 54 percent of households now have PCs.

“The personal computer has reached great new heights and I believe it will continue to do so,” he said.

And he predicted the sales of books, music and videos online will be the wave of the future.